Interior design in 2019 is coalescing around a sense of comfort and well-being, say industry experts, trend spotters and Pinterest.
It sounds like a vague New Year's wish, but as we wrote at the start of last year, "in interior design, the pendulum of trends moves much more slowly, and the signals of change are felt from afar". In this sense, looking for brand new, surprising things in showrooms, furniture shows, magazines and especially in the main trend-dictator lately - Pinterest, would be exaggerated and unjustified. At the same time, several trends clearly distinguish interior design in 2019 - and they are far from being expressed only by Living Coral, the Pantone Institute's colour of the year.
The big change
2018 was the year we saw a lot of distinctive things in interiors - the replacement of Scandinavian style with its "Soft Scandy" variant, a move away from pastel colours towards more saturated shades, marble was everywhere (we mean the living room walls too), brass gave way to rose gold, and the Eastern trend wabi-sabi, which emerged as a philosophy of "imperfect, unfinished and perishable beauty" continued with Japanese kintsugi, the art of restoring broken porcelain vessels by gluing them together with a special technique.
The tendency to surround oneself with pleasing, sensory-comforting surfaces and to use humble, natural materials is proving to be sustainable. It's not hard to find the reasons for this - design doesn't occur in a vacuum and what happens in interiors is a reflection of the context in which we live. Because I am a firm believer in the power of the environment to influence what we broadly refer to as well-being (the physical and spiritual sense of living well), the place of the home as a centre where we recover and feel fulfilled and happy is becoming increasingly significant. And whereas a few years ago many people made their interiors a place to show off, now it is much more of a personal space - to reflect, to rest, to express who we really are.
This may seem obvious and self-explanatory, but it's actually a big change. It's coming slowly, but it's increasingly visible and tangible. Why is it important? Because it's related to the questions we ask ourselves in today's world - about who we are, what our true image is, what it looks like on social media, what our responsibility is to ourselves and society. All in all - truth and authenticity have never been more important. That's why the first trend we will see in 2019 is
Instinct for decoration
As a reaction to externally imposed opinions - from social media, TV design shows, magazines - there's a growing sense of confidence that people can furnish and decorate their interiors themselves. More individuality, more comfort, more personality - that's what we'll be seeing in 2019 in the photos posted on Instagram and Pinterest. There is no doubt that this trend is precisely related to the possibility of posting on social networks the decoration of your table, shelf, kitchen or any part of your home. Everyone is the art director of their own medium and has countless tools to present it - and therefore themselves, in the best way. Is this a good thing? - Yes, because it's stirring up territory where until recently only interior designers and architects were the masters. And when it is truly an expression of good taste and personal style, it becomes an inspiration. Interesting, funny, eccentric. It logically follows from the above - we would say that happiness is a timeless trend. Fun, eccentric interiors are an expression of a deeply personal style and outlook on the world. "People want to be surrounded by objects that make them smile," says Robin Blair Davidson. She's 2018's most in-demand Instagram artist - check out her candy and sweets art panels at byrobynblair and you'll understand why. Fresh bright colours, spirited captions and a carefree feel - who wouldn't want that in their home?
Every time we choose a lamp, vase or piece of furniture with an unusual design that connects directly to a feeling of happiness, we're investing in more joy and good vibes in our surroundings. Biophilia - All Things Green Green was a big theme in 2018 (we dedicated an entire article to it here on the blog). There was a lot to it - not just a trend, but an overall and lasting attitude towards life. Now we meet it with a new name - BIOPHILIA!
We're not just talking about living plants in the home and our relationship with nature, but the color of materials and surfaces. And when we say "connection to nature", we mean everything that has to do with the human instinct for the sights outside, the sounds of murmuring water, green walls in the interior, organic materials like wood and stone. Everything that soothes the senses!
Walls - ornaments
We can call them accents, textured or coloured walls - whether achieved with wallpapers (which are definitely a trend in their dozens of variations even for outdoor spaces) to paints, drawings, artwork.
A good budget option to express the personal style of the occupants, a different wall creates contrast, mood and often tells a story, becoming the focus of the interior. That's why many leading interior design brands are launching their own separate wallpaper line from this year - like Moooi Wallpaper for example.
Earthy colours
When it comes to colour and trends in 2019, most people immediately associate the theme with Pantone's colour of the year - Living Coral. Living Coral is actually more of a philosophy than a specific invitation to buy furniture or carpets in that colour (and that's of course, but not exclusively). The idea of this choice is to emphasize the need for a life-affirming, calm color that also expresses the universal concern for the environment and ocean life.
As for the interior, definitely earthy, warm, natural shades come to the fore. In place of the greys and monochrome beiges of previous years (which came from the cult of Scandinavian elegance) come ochres, mustards, terracottas, old golds. Colours that evoke different feelings and emotions - and above all, bring a sense of energy and optimism.
A return to the familiar
What else is the strong presence of fabrics like velvet, materials like wood, cutlery and tableware that seem to have come out of the buffets of the past? It all speaks of a return to the familiar, to the past, where we are greeted by coziness and casual comfort.
Author
Lidiya Manolova is an author and journalist specializing in design, architecture and lifestyle. She is a former interiors editor at Bravacasa magazine who has been covering the international design scene for more than a decade. He works with Bulgarian architects and creative entrepreneurs. He lives in Sofia and loves his city.
BLD is areal estate developer specializing in residential construction. BLD is one of the leaders in new construction in Sofia.Allrealestate is issued with Act 16 and sales of their apartmentsare made directly by the builder.